MOBILE, Alabama – As he sat in judgment of a woman convicted last month of murder in a fatal stabbing outside her home, a judge today appeared to grapple with the conflicting testimony as much as the jurors did.

Mobile County Circuit Judge Michael Youngpeter recalled that the jury struggled with the case before returning its verdict. The judge said the knife entered John “Junior” Tolbert’s body at just the right spot – his heart – to guarantee his death. He noted that prosecutors had offered defendant Carla Ellis, 43, a plea deal for manslaughter before the trial.

“But the jury did find you guilty of murder, and I have to sentence you accordingly,” he said.

The judge sentenced Ellis to 20 years in prison, the minimum under the law. Under Alabama parole rules, she will have to serve at least 15 years before she can be considered for early release.

The May 2012 incident involved some sort of altercation between Ellis and Tolbert outside her home L&N Circle in Theodore. A neighbor who saw the incident through her window testified that the defendant raised her arm and quickly lowered it at Tolbert, who immediately collapsed. Testimony indicated that Tolbert died from a stab wound inflicted by the 6-inch blade.

Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Richard Foreman said the exact nature of the argument between Ellis and her acquaintance probably never will be known. He asked the judge to impose a 40-year sentence.

“I’m not going to ask for life in this case, even though she took Mr. Tolbert’s,” he said.

Defense attorney Zackery Moore said his client has a string of arrests but nothing more serious than a misdemeanor, mostly arising from prostitution. She is a lifelong Theodore resident, he said.

“I don’t see anything here that is violent,” said Moore, who indicated that his client would appeal.

Moore argued during the trial that his client was acting in self-defense. He said today that he accepted the jury’s verdict. But he added that it was clear that the stabbing flowed from some sort of reaction.

Moore urged a split sentence in which his client would have served only five of the 20 years in prison, with the rest suspended. He said Ellis is a much different person today.

“It’s like two different people,” he said. “That doesn’t bring Mr. Tolbert back. I understand that.”

Foreman outside court that he was hoping for a longer sentence. But he said Tobert’s sister indicated that she was satisfied with the outcome.